The author has two goals: first, to present the physical and mathematical principles behind the scattering and absorption of various types of electromagnetic radiation by particles and particle groups (such as the atmosphere, clouds etc.), and second, to unify all these phenomena into a single consistent branch of physical optics. I believe he has shown it can be done. The first third of the book develops electromagnetic theory via Maxwell’s equations and their embellishments by Stokes and others in a very concise and elegant way. The rest of the book, using the theory previously developed, considers many real world examples. Although these examples are somewhat idealized, they are still all complex and difficult to analyze.
It is clear that a great deal of thought and care has been given to the organization and presentation of the material in the book. The only annoyance is the constant use of acronyms throughout, although there is a handy table of acronyms included. This book is not light reading, but it is worth the effort.
Review by Albert C. Claus, physics department at Loyola University, Chicago, Ill., USA.
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or OSA.